Korngold's sumptuously romantic incidental music for a 1919 Viennese production of Much Ado About Nothing is partnered with Shostakovich's outrageous and witty 1932 incidental music for Hamlet, written at the same time the composer was working on Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District.

This concert also features the first performance of Korngold's beautiful Shakespeare Songs in a new orchestration by Orchestra of St Paul's musical director, Ben Palmer.